A Yeovil man accused of assaulting a shop security guard and threatening the police after he was caught stealing booze from a corner shop has been ordered to stand trial next month.

Stephen Joseph Brennan allegedly became aggressive towards the officers and had to be tasered and pava sprayed in order to be arrested during the incident at the Co-op store in St Michaels Avenue, Yeovil.

On another date the defendant was arrested for being drunk and disorderly at the One Stop shop in Yeovil.

Brennan, 31, of Westfield Crescent, was brought before Somerset Magistrates in custody after being arrested by the police.

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The court was also told that he was currently on conditional bail with a tagged curfew to appear at Taunton Crown Court for possession of a bladed article.

He pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly at the One Stop shop in Rosebery Avenue on January 3.

He pleaded not guilty to assaulting security guard Dean Jeffries by beating him at the Co-op in Yeovil on January 30.

He also denied using towards two police constables threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause them to believe that immediate unlawful violence would be used against them.

However he admitted the theft of two bottles of wine worth £30 from the Co-op.

Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said that the defendant denied carrying out the assault saying that any injury caused to the security guard was accidental while he was being detained.

Brennan also denied being threatening towards the police claiming that all he wanted to do was to finish drinking his wine.

A review of the denied offences was conducted and all maters were adjourned until March 5 when the defendant was ordered to return to the court at Yeovil for a trial to take place. He will also be sentenced for the offences he admitted on that date.

Until his next court appearance he was released on bail with conditions that he must not go to the Co-op in St Michael's Avenue, Yeovil, and must not contact Dean Jeffries directly or indirectly.